Airstrike kills Taliban leader in northwestern Afghanistan

An airstrike in northwestern Afghanistan killed a Taliban leader, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said on Wednesday.

Qari Ziauddin, the Taliban's shadow governor in Faryab province, was slain on Tuesday. He was "directly associated with and took direct operational orders from a Pakistan-based leader of the northern front," according to ISAF.

When coalition forces went to the site of the strike in Faryab province, armed people threatened them, authorities said.

"The security force engaged and killed four insurgents and confirmed Qari Ziauddin was killed during the airstrike," ISAF said.